R 232008Z OCT 09

ALCOAST 611/09
COMDTNOTE 6010
SUBJ: H1N1 INFLUENZA PREVENTIVE MEDICINE UPDATE
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 061543Z OCT 09 ALCOAST 582/09
B. CG PANDEMIC INFLUENZA FORCE HEALTH PROTECTION POLICY,
COMDTINST M6220.12 (SERIES)
1. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECENTLY
ANNOUNCED THAT THE SUPPLY OF THE 2009 NOVEL H1N1 INFLUENZA
VACCINE MAY BE DELAYED UNTIL MID-NOVEMBER. CURRENTLY, OVER
20 PERCENT OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ARE REPORTED TO RECENTLY HAVE
HAD INFLUENZA LIKE ILLNESS (ILI) AND THE NOVEL H1N1 PANDEMIC IS
CONTINUING TO SPREAD.
2. THE NOVEL H1N1 INFLUENZA VACCINE IS MANDATORY FOR ALL
COAST GUARD (CG) ACTIVE DUTY (AD) AND SELECTED RESERVE (SELRES)
MEMBERS WHEN THE VACCINE BECOMES AVAILABLE PER REFERENCE
(A).  ADDITIONALLY, THE VACCINE, WHEN AVAILABLE AND AS RESOURCES
PERMIT, MAY BE OFFERED BY CG CLINICS TO ALL ELIGIBLE AD
BENEFICIARIES AND CG CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES. CG CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES,
FAMILY MEMBERS AND CONTRACTED PERSONNEL ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO
SEEK EARLIEST NOVEL H1N1 INFLUENZA IMMUNIZATION THROUGH LOCAL
PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS OR THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
3. COMMANDS MUST ENSURE THAT THERE ARE ONGOING MITIGATION
MEASURES IN PLACE INCLUDING SOCIAL DISTANCING, FREQUENT
HANDWASHING, AND ADHERENCE TO COUGH AND SNEEZE ETIQUETTE
AS DESCRIBED IN REFERENCE (B). FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NOVEL
H1N1 INFLUENZA AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES GO TO THE CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) WEBSITE AT
HTTP://WWW.CDC.GOV/H1N1FLU.  FOR COAST GUARD H1N1 INFLUENZA
INFORMATION GO TO  HTTPS://CGPORTAL.USCG.MIL OR
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/H1N1.
4. PERSONS WITH FEVER AND SORE THROAT OR COUGH SHOULD STAY
HOME UNTIL FREE OF FEVER FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS WITHOUT THE
USE OF FEVER MEDICATIONS.
5. PER FLU.GOV, AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS NOT SICK BUT HAS A SICK
HOUSEHOLD MEMBER MAY GO TO WORK. IT IS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT THAT THESE EMPLOYEES MONITOR THEMSELVES FOR
ILLNESS. HOWEVER, EMPLOYEES WITH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN MAY
NEED TO STAY HOME TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.  SUPERVISORS
SHOULD REVIEW LEAVE POLICIES FOR THE FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOW
EMPLOYEES TO STAY HOME IF THEY NEED TO CARE FOR THEIR
CHILDREN OR OTHER HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS WHO ARE SICK.
6. FOR QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THIS POLICY CONTACT CDR
SCHWARTZ, COMDT (CG-1121) AT (202) 475-5172 OR
ERICA.G.SCHWARTZ(AT)USCG.MIL. FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING
VACCINE ADMINISTRATION AND IMPLEMENTATION CONTACT HEALTH
SAFETY AND WORK-LIFE (HSWL) SUPPORT ACTIVITY (SUPACT), CAPT
FAJARDO AT (510) 637-1225 OR MARIO.E.FAJARDO(AT)USCG.MIL OR CDR
SALVON-HARMAN AT (757) 628-4331 OR
JEFFREY.C.SALVONHARMAN(AT) USCG.MIL.
7. RADM MARK J. TEDESCO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY, AND
WORK-LIFE SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.